The cruise line revealed it would retain at least three suites on its 250-suite Europa 2 for every sailing in the 2018-19 season for non-German customers.
Hapag-Lloyd has appointed Aishling McLoughlin as its new sales representative in the UK and Ireland. She will focus on building brand awareness in the market.
“Availability has been an issue previously as the ships get booked up by the German market so quickly,” she told TTG. “This is the first time we’ve made a commitment like this to the international market and it’s part of a new approach, to really build some momentum in the UK and Ireland,” she added.
Although cruise agents will know the brand, customers are not likely to ask for the product as consumer awareness is currently low, admitted McLoughlin. However, a series of collaborations with luxury lifestyle brands will seek to change that.
McLoughlin also emphasised that the Hapag-Lloyd style of cruising made it a good choice for luxury clients who do not currently cruise.
“It’s a very modern European vibe and a younger clientele rather than traditional American cruising with formal dining and so on, so it’s very suitable for new-to-cruising,” she said.
Hapag-Lloyd currently has four ships in its fleet: Europa, for the German market; Europa 2, with dual-language onboard; and two expedition vessels – Hanseatic (dual-language) and Bremen (German-speaking).
In 2019, the line will gain two new expedition ships, Hanseatic Nature, for the German market, and Hanseatic Inspiration, for the international market.
The two new vessels will feature a movable glass viewing area that will slide out from the side of the ship so that guests can look down on the seascape or wildlife below.
